Mermaid
by Chagrins
Summary: revamp ...What happens when Misty boards a ship back to Cerulean and realizes someone is out to get her and her sisters? Will she ever see Ash again? And who exactly is Baxter?


Foot note: I wrote this when I was 12...but just the other day I found it and decided to edit it a bit and post it back up on the site. It's not my best quality of writing...but the idea is interesting, so take a look, lol.

* * *

They were older now, beyond innocence. The road between right and wrong was sharper and there was a much steeper fall when the wrong sorts of turns were taken. Though, like everyone else, while the present was being lived no one could help but to be blind...so certain roads were taken unwillingly. And if the past could be relived we'd all erase some of those ill ways.

On a young fall, brisk day, the trees swayed softly and a certain breeze lifted people's hearts in an awakening sort of way. The majority were on top of things, others just beginning to grow alert to their environment. It was like a sudden caffeine rush...hearts were beating faster.

The docks of the city of Jango were growing chillier as of late, and the sun was setting faster. People were being forced to respond in a moments notice, without the slightest hesitation.

Goodbyes were still as common...meetings, too. But what to say of love? It was there in the air. People were so awake and open for change that a lot of people fell into the lovely trap, the soothing trance...whatever you'd like to call it. No one knew it was there till it hit them, right smack in the face.

And as for our boy and girl, they, too, woke up one day. Unfortunately it was their last day together. No, worse, their last moment together.

But good-byes are sometimes sweet. And standing on the ramp of a ship that very moment of departure, the girl couldn't have looked sweeter.

"Well, this is it," Misty whispered, staring down into Ash's brown eyes. She was the last to board, on an orange, aged ramp that looked like it would collapse at any moment. Though this particular ship was the biggest Jango had ever seen, it didn't seem nearly as big as the confusion filling her heart. She really thought this would've been a good idea. What could be better? Getting away from the fighting, the frustration, the annoyance of being out in the wilderness with bugs...but something seemed to hold back any happiness she could be having. There was just something about Ash. Sure, he could be the biggest moron sometimes, but deep down she saw something in him that just seemed to click with who she was. Like something just felt right...

He was no romantic, no ladies' man, probably hadn't ever had a girlfriend even...but deep down she knew that there could be something there. And here she was, leaving.

Though certain things about him just made her downright angry. Like his manners. She was leaving and here he was, grinning like he'd never known something better. She really hoped that deep down it was fake...and that traveling with him had had some positive effect over how he thought of her. But despite his outward mood, Misty couldn't bring herself to stand by his act and be happy.

"Yeah, I guess it is, Mist" He had always been looking at her, but it was only at this very second that he took the time to really see her. Her orange hair, lately maturing into a deeper auburn, was let loose in the front, pieces of her hair draping the sides of her face. Her blue eyes seemed to speak to him to say she didn't want to part ways just yet. Though he wasn't sure this could be certain and knew that no matter what this was the way it had to go. He needed to move on with his life of constant traveling, no stability...and Misty needed to take her rightful place back home at Cerulean. That was just how it had to work.

And as her hair blew in the wind, he saw a slight smile come to her lips. 'He called me Mist..' She thought to herself, feeling a certain blush come to her cheeks.

She watched as the smile on his face slowly turned into a frown. A million thoughts raced through both of their minds, some tears beginning to fall down Misty's face. She couldn't even understand it.

Seeing this, Ash reached over with his hand and gently brushed the tears away, hoping this physical touch wasn't too much for her. But he shrugged, realizing that she was leaving and it was his last chance to show to her that she meant something to him.

She smiled and hugged him.

'I'm going to miss you, Ash...' The thought seemed to leave her lips, her mouth left open, her eyes questioning. She thought she heard herself come out with it, but something was caught in her throat and she couldn't get out the words. She wished Ash could be a mind reader...

Releasing from the hug, Ash smiled up at her with a new idea in his mind.

"Misty, I say we make a promise...that if for whatever reason we haven't been able to get back together we meet up again in 10 years. We'll keep in contact and talk, you know? It shouldn't be hard...we'll see each other a lot after this!" The words of an idealist, optimistic and young at heart.

She went to respond when a horn blew from the boat. They both stared in each others eyes for the last time.

"I promise."

Leaning forward she slowly kissed Ash on the cheek.

Surprised, Ash just stood there. A kiss from a girl? He was fourteen now, but the thought still had never really crossed his mind. He had always been rather dense and slow...and immaturity, though with a noble heart (and this being unknown to him), followed his personal character.

Misty spun around and ran up the ramp.

Ash stood there dazed, a sudden feeling coming over him.

"Pikapi?" He heard his little yellow friend running up behind him. Pikachu spotted a little silver ring on the ground and went over to pick it up. Carrying it back to Ash he cried: "Pika!"  
Ash still stared out at the ship. "Piii..kkaaa..chuuuuuu!" It grew fed up and thundershocked Ash.

"Waaa!" A charred Ash lay on the Dock, still dazed...but now ultra dazed from the shock. "Next time..try giving me a shock a little less painful." Pikachu sweat dropped, putting a paw behind its back. "Chu..Pikachu, Pi-ka, pikapi?"

Getting up, Ash stared down at the ring in the palm of his hand.

"She...umm...I guess she left it. Crap...well...I guess we can mail it to her, huh, Pikachu?"

And the two friends watched as the ship set sail, and disappeared over the horizon. They stayed there until the sun left them completely, while Ash couldn't help but keep his hand on the side of the cheek where she had kissed him...

So it goes. Boy meets girl...

* * *

Misty stood quietly, her red hair blowing in the wind, worn down for once. Where she stood, the choppy waves splashed loudly and many small white stars filled the black sky. Straight ahead, a round figure high above shone down upon the front of the ship.

The moon can be a very romantic thing to be near at times, I just wish Ash were here to see it with me'

Ash had been on her mind for the three days she had been on this ship. She couldn't get him out of her mind, no matter what she did. She guessed that the fact that she was having a terrible time to begin with didn't help either. She didn't want to go home with her sisters. She had gone away for a reason. But here she was on a ship...heading back towards them where they would get on, perform for those sticking around on the ship, then get off with them and live the rest of her life leading some pathetic gym...

Sure, she loved the water pokemon...but being stuck in a gym for the rest of her life? It just wasn't her. She was only going back because somewhere deep inside she really did love her sisters...and she couldn't leave them hanging forever. Plus, the league was starting to complain that the sisters were a disappointment and if they didn't start winning the gym would be shut down for good.

So Misty was stuck.

"It's going to be a long ten years.." She sighed, "Why'd I go and kiss him?" Her long forest green skirt swayed slightly. She wrapped her arms around herself as the wind started up even more, and just as she turned her head to walk back inside, a boy of about 16 or 17 started walking towards her.

"Ah, hello there, miss, I'm Baxter." He was decked out in a black attire. Black jeans, and a long baggy T-shirt, as well as a striped bandana, covering most of his blonde hair. A wad of it stuck out in the back. Kinda cute, in a dangerous sort of way, but not really her type.

He put out a hand, and she accepted it, shaking it cautiously.

"Misty" She felt a bit reluctant to give out her name to this strange guy..

He smiled, gently placing down her hand. He seemed to be looking her up and down.

"My, now you are way too pretty to be just an ordinary girl...I think I know you from somewhere."

She rolled her eyes. Figures. He recognized her from her sisters...

"Misty Waterflower!"

She nodded.

"You travel with Ash and Brock!"

She sweat dropped. Not quite what she expected...

"Yes, yes...it is you!" She looked a bit puzzled, wondering who this guy could be. But obviously if he had met her before with them he wasn't as creepy as he seemed. She let out a laugh.

Baxter raised an eyebrow, questioning her laughter.

"I don't mean to laugh...it's just that that's usually not the first thing people say when they recognize me."

"Oh? Well...I wouldn't even consider it recognizing you from them at all. I kinda remember you the most." He grinned.

"I see..."

"Where else would I have recognized you from?"

"Umm...nowhere."

"Hmm...you know, you look different. I can't really place my finger on it. But you do."  
"Maybe it's the dress." She turned away, trying to give him the hint that she didn't want his company. 'Creeeep...' She thought about this stranger.

"That could be it..." He grinned, "So...it's too bad you and Ash are dating..."

"Excuse me?"

"I said it's too bad that you guys are dating."

"We're not dating!"

"Oh." He squinted his eyes, "Then nevermind."

She sighed, wondering what Ash might be doing at this very moment. Then to herself she whispered, "To him I'll only ever be a scrawny runt.."

"You're not scrawny or a runt."

She jumped a bit, half shocked that he would've heard that. Then she calmed herself and turned her head out towards the ocean, sighing, 'I was talking about Ash's thoughts...not yours'

"Listen, you should look a little closer at your reflection next time, you are pretty. Especially with your hair down" Her gaze was still at the ocean, and she remained silent.

"I guess I should go now" He said, excusing himself. "Perhaps we shall meet again?"

"Maybe, but for a bit I'd like to be alone. It's been a rough day." He nodded, leaving her there.

* * *

That morning she put her hair up in her usual ponytail and walked down to the ship's cafe, located towards the middle, a few hallways away from her room.

She walked in and headed towards the buffet stand, trying to get in and out as soon as possible. She piled up her plate and grabbed some silverware, and took a seat near one of the windows of the cafe.

Finishing her meal, she raced towards the slot to dump her dirtied silverware and dish in, and as she was heading towards the door when she heard her name being called. Damn.

She would've kept on walking, but something in the way he said her name made guilt rise in her stomach. There was hope in that voice...and desperation. In another moment, turning around, Baxter was almost within a foot of her. It was too late to run now.

"Hey...glad I ran into you! I was just stopping in to get something to eat...care to join me?"

"I actually already ate...but thanks anyways."

"Aww, that's too bad. Won't you just sit with me for a little bit? Pleeaaase?"

She snickered a bit. Well...wouldn't hurt her, would it? 'Just to pacify him...'

They rushed back over to the buffet, and he dumped on a bunch of food before becoming satisfied with his collection. Claiming a table, they sat down and began to talk. He would periodically give lengthy details about himself or his philosophies, in between chewing his food. But for most of the time he seemed intent on just listening. She noticed how he was nearly stuffing the food in his mouth, and began to laugh. It reminded her of Ash.

He stopped for a second and looked himself over. She didn't have to explain this time.

"Heheh...sorry!" He sweat dropped, "I guess you just get used to eating like a pig when you have a bunch of older siblings to fight over food with...survival of the fittest, that sort of thing, though I don't know if you'd understand that."

"Actually, I do, as a matter of fact...I have three older sisters. And they're not really the nicest at times."

He snickered, "ah! siblings! they definitely have their good and bad moments...and the bad are reaaaaallly bad."

"...older valley girl siblings? You don't get any worse..."

"Um...I know."

"How would you know?"

"I have three older sisters...just because I'm a guy doesn't mean they have to be guys."

"Wow.."

"What?"

"I actually didn't expect that."  
"Oh yeah...how else do you think I'd be so good at picking out the right sort of girls to spend my time with?" He gave her a wink...and she couldn't help but blush slightly.

They talked for a bit more before he suddenly checked his watch, and for whatever reason decided it was time to take his leave.

"It was real nice chatting with you, Misty...care to join me in two hours outside for a walk? It's a really nice day."

Misty couldn't think of a reason why she shouldn't. Besides, he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

* * *

The two hours had come by quickly, as Misty found herself walking down the ship calling out Baxter's name.

"Baxter!" She searched and searched, no trace of the boy anywhere.

'What's the deal with this kid?' She thought to herself, getting annoyed. 'If he wants me to meet him somewhere..he better be there!'

"That's it.." She said heading back inside the ship.

Just as she reached the doors, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Baxter standing there smiling.

"Sorry I'm late.." He said handing her a yellow rose.

She cocked an eyebrow, wondering how he knew. Roses were always her favorite...especially yellow roses. Shrugging, she gently took it from his grasp, and she smelled it. It brought a smile to her face.

"Thank you" She said, as he extended an arm out to her. She took it and the two walked around the ship together, talking.

"So where are you headed?" He asked her.

"Cerulean. I went by boat because my sisters are actually supposed to be meeting up with me to perform. Don't laugh, but I got a free ticket because of it so they figured this would be the best way to bring me home..."

"Oh...reaaallly...just who are your sisters?"

"Umm. heh. Ever heard of the Cerulean Sisters?"

"Can't say I have..."

"Hmm. Where are you from, anyways?"

"Pallet."

She blinked. Pallet? But how could that be...Ash would've mentioned something about that when this guy had supposedly met up with them. And come to think of it, Misty still didn't remember ever meeting up with this guy at all.

"Okay, cut the crap. Who are you? And how do you really know me?"

"I'm Ash's neighbor. And I never actually ran into you. But I know Ash...and I met Brock once or twice."

"Why didn't you just say that in the beginning?"

"Heheh...I needed some sort of pick-up line!"

She sweat dropped, "Umm..."

"I know, I know! I just wanted to get to know you without scaring you away..."

"You kinda were creeping me out a bit, actually..."

"I know...I really didn't want that to happen. It's just one time I was at home and I saw you and Ash through my window. I wasn't trying to be a stalker, but I saw you guys fighting and you telling him to grow up. I could see that you cared for him and it felt like there was a certain sadness in your eyes that he was making worse by being his dense self..."

She was taken aback, "Who says I like him that way?"

"I'm not here to tell you whether or not you do. I'm telling you what I saw that day. What I saw whenever I saw you two...I don't think he ever realized what he had."

"And if you're right? then what?"

"I want to be your friend...that's all. I don't expect anything more than that. I want to help you."  
"Help me?"

"Yes...help you because I saw in your eyes the sort of emotion I sometimes feel in my heart. I feel like we can sort of relate to one another, you know?"

She couldn't disagree...after all, they even had the same sort of family setup.

"All right, friend...but what happens when you go back to Pallet? This will be a very short friendship, you know."

"A moment can last a lifetime..." He laughed sheepishly as they continued to stroll down the ship.

* * *

The next morning they were sitting, eating breakfast.

"So...why do you like Ash so much anyways?"

Misty abruptly stopped chewing her cereal, a bit of annoyance in her answer, "I don't like him...okay!"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't!"

"You do..."

"DON'T!"

"You...okay, fine. Maybe you can't even see it. But I think before you get anywhere you have to be willing to admit to yourself how you feel about certain things. I can tell you aren't someone to do that often."

She thought about it for a moment, as he continued with his pep talk.

"You just have to realize that your feelings are natural. You seem to have some ridiculous thought that if you aren't feeling how people want you to then your feelings aren't good enough. But if you'd only find in your heart how you're really feeling...you'd realize that that's far more important than whether or not someone would freak out to know that you cared for them much more deeply than as a friend."

"I guess you're right...but how exactly did you know all that about me?"

He snickered, "I have three older sisters, remember? Psychologically our brains work the same. I suck at giving advice usually...but you're just like me. And for whatever reason I find it particularly easy to open up to you."

"You mean...you aren't honest with your feelings, either?"

"Oh, well, I used to be like that. The only reason I know what you need to do is because that's what I realized I needed to do. Sometimes I still deny things even to myself...but I'm much better than I used to be."

"So...you understand about Ash?"

"You could say that...there's a girl back home...we haven't talked in years though. But there was just something there and I never did anything about it. So for the remainder of my life I could always love her...but she is something I can only fathom."

And so it goes.

For the next few weeks they spent every day together, analyzing their thoughts. Well...Baxter analyzing and Misty thinking.

* * *

When they reached Cerulean it was kind of hard for Misty to realize that she and Baxter would soon be parting. Surprisingly enough, she had gotten quite close with him, if only for the fact that for once she had someone to talk to about her feelings.

Baxter followed her when she met her sisters at the gate. They were going to be performing where the dining hall was, as all the buffet tables and chairs were going to be taken down and replaced with fancier, more decorative entertainment seats. A portable stage was brought in and propped up right against a far back wall, and things were looking good.

The night before the performance would be her last night sleeping in the ship, and deep down she was very thankful to be home at last.

Misty had soon gone to bed.

In the middle of the morning, around 5 AM someone started banging on her door. It took a second for her to come to, but when she did something didn't feel right.

She slowly pushed away the covers, becoming cold, and headed for the door, still half-asleep. As she opened the door, it made a small creaking sound. She rubbed her eyes and then got a good look at the person.  
"Baxter? What's going on...how did you..." He silenced her.

"Mist...it's your sisters..."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a lot of commotion on the boat...they're gone. But I think I know where they are."

Misty was a bit confused, but ran into the bathroom to get back on something decent to wear, and came back out towards her door.

He led her down a hallway, into an elevator, and pressed for the basement floor. When they reached their destination, he carefully stepped out and reached for her hand.

"Where are we going? How do you know they're down here?"

"I saw them...they went on their own will...but they looked different. Some girl was with them and at first I thought it was you until I looked closer."

They turned a corner and Baxter opened the first door on the left. Misty peered in to see some people inside. She really wanted to leave, but Baxter pushed her forward. The door slammed behind them, as the people looked at Misty. One of them, a young girl of about 14, stood there smiling.

"I have acquired the fourth and final Sensational Sister.." Baxter's tone grew monotonous and his eyes glowed green. The girl laughed as she outstretched her right hand in the air, beckoning Misty to come towards her. But she just froze.

She screamed. "Umm...what the hell..."

The little girl eyed Misty, and then snapped her fingers. Baxter fell unconscious beside her.

"Hmmph. Actually, I needed some help from my friends here to get him thinking the right sort of way." She pointed to the others in the room, all duplications of herself.

"What'd you do to my sisters?"

The girl snickered a bit. A light began to form at the other end of the room, revealing three other lifeless bodies.

Misty screamed running towards them.

"Tie her down!" the girl ordered, as a group of her troopers rushed towards her.

"And at last I shall have all the sensational sisters right where I want them!" She started laughing, as a struggling to get free Misty, finally did. She looked behind her and excited the same way she had come from, leaving Baxter on the ground.

"Get her!" Two of her servants ran after Misty. She opened the door and ran through, slamming it behind her. Ahead were a long flight of white stairs, that curved to the right. She kept going until another door came. She opened that and found herself in a hallway.

Misty ran through the hallway and found a door on the right, quickly ushering herself inside, closing the door behind her. When in, she found it was a dark closet, and bonked her head on a slightly large object. She pulled down on it and light filled the room.

"Now.." She whispered to herself. "How am I going to get myself out of this jam?" She leaned against a wall and sighed.

"So that's why you aren't supposed to trust strangers..." She gave a bit of a weak laugh, as the ship began to rock. She heard the bang of large containers around her start to fall off the shelves they were on and suddenly the light went out.

She was knocked out when one of them fell on top of her head, spilling out a greenish liquid all over her body. She was instantly killed.

* * *

"Mariasu..." The girl cocked her head at the guards who rushed back, "We couldn't get her!"

She shook her head, "She's already dead...I feel it..now we just need to find her body so that we can finally have what we've been working towards." She clasped her clothes, outside of where her heart would be, and a grin seemed to form at the edges of her mouth.

* * *

"Misty! Misty!" She felt someone shaking her awake. But something was different. Dorothy wasn't in Kansas anymore.

Her eyes slowly opened, though everything was blurred.

"Missssty!"

She finally recognized the voice, "Oh...Baxter? Oh my god...that means it was just a dream!" Bubbles came out of her mouth as she spoke.  
Her vision grew clearer and finally she saw the orange fish in front of her.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Misty, chill. It's me, Baxter!" The fish spoke to her.

She crawled backwards, and a large fin came up from under her. Her fin. Eyes widened, she froze.

* * *

End Note: All right, all right...so I did kinda sorta revamp it...and it still may not be that entertaining. But I read over it and decided I liked it. So there you have it. Comments mucho appreciated.

Chagrins ;;


End file.
